UNA Votes
Voter engagement is about learning how to participate in upcoming elections through voter registration and turnout, but it also involves opportunities for students to become educated about key issues and races, as well as why civic participation through voting is so important. UNA campus partners have collaborated to provide comprehensive voter engagement programs and information to all UNA students, faculty and staff. Below, you will find many Frequently Asked Questions (and answers!), as well as useful resources to prepare you for the 2020 elections, and beyond!
- Need a ride to the polls? Let us know here.
- For questions and other information, contact communityservice@una.edu.
Get Involved
Voter Registration (hosted by Center for Women's Studies & League of Women Voters) Monday, September 14 - Friday, September 18 Location: Center for Women's Studies |
We're At the Polls webinar (hosted by Community Service & Outreach, Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion & Social Work Department) Tuesday, September 15 - 12:00pm |
National Voter Registration Day; Voter Registration Booths (hosted by Fraternity & Sorority Life, Community Service & Outreach, and Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion) Tuesday, September 22 - 10:00am-2:00pm Location(s): GUC Atrium, Commons, Wesleyan Hall, Amphitheater, Oplar Clock, Rivers Hall patio |
Social Work Voter Webinar (hosted by Social Work Department) Tuesday, September 22 - 12:00pm Location: Zoom - Register Here |
"Donut Forget to Vote" (hosted by University Programming Council) Tuesday, September 29 - 11:30am-1:30pm Location: Behind the Amphitheater |
Florence Mayoral Run-off Forum (hosted by Community Service & Outreach, Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion, and Social Work Department) Tuesday, September 29 - 7:00pm Location: UNA Community Service and Outreach Facebook page Submit questions here by Tuesday, September 22. |
Women Vote Forum (hosted by College Panhellenic Council) Monday, October 5 - 7:00pm Location: Zoom - Register Here |
All in Favor Say ROAR (hosted by Housing and Residence Life) Monday, October 12 - Friday, October 16 Location: Instagram, @UNAHRL |
Voter Jeopardy (hosted by National Pan-hellenic Council) Wednesday, October 14 - 7:00pm Location: Zoom - Register Here |
I'm Registered! (hosted by Fraternity & Sorority Life) Monday, October 19th - 11:00am-1:00pm Location: GUC Atrium (Free cookie with proof of voter registration!) |
Take a Friend to the Polls (hosted by Student Government Association) Tuesday, November 3 Location: Instagram, @UNASGA_ |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Most, but not all, primary election dates have now passed.
- Election date information for additional states can be found HERE.
- The general elections will take place on Tuesday, November 3rd. These elections will include many local and state races, as well as the election for President of the United States.
- Learn about what’s on your ballot HERE.
To be eligible to vote in Alabama, you must be:
- A United States Citizen
- A resident in Alabama
- At least 18 years old
- Not convicted of a disqualifying felony (or have had your rights restored)*
- Not legally declared mentally incompetent by a court
Note: If you turn 18 years old after the registration deadline (14 days before an election), you can still vote in the upcoming election! Just be sure you submit your registration application before the 14 day deadline to ensure you're registered as you turn 18.
- Register online, HERE.
- Check your voter registration status by using this voter registration lookup tool.
- You should register to vote at the location where you plan to be on the date of the general election (unless you are voting with an absentee or mail-in ballot). Information about changing your voter registration location can be found HERE.
- Alabama: Oct. 19, 2020
- Mississippi: Oct. 3, 2020
- Tennessee: Oct. 3, 2020
- Georgia: Oct. 3, 2020
- Florida: Oct. 4, 2020
- Registration information for additional states can be found HERE.
A voter may cast an absentee ballot if they:
- EXPECTS TO BE ABSENT FROM THE COUNTY on election day
- IS ILL OR HAS A PHYSICAL DISABILITY that prevents a trip to the polling place
- IS A REGISTERED ALABAMA VOTER LIVING OUTSIDE THE COUNTY, such as a member of the armed forces, a voter employed outside the United States, a college student, or a spouse or child of such a person
- IS AN APPOINTED ELECTION OFFICER OR POLL WATCHER at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place
- EXPECTS TO WORK A REQUIRED SHIFT, 10-HOURS OR MORE, that coincides with polling hours
- IS A CAREGIVER for a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity and the family member is confined to his or her home
- IS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED in prison or jail and has not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude
- The AL deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot for the GENERAL ELECTION is October 29, 2020. (Live in another state? Check your state’s deadlines here).
- AL residents can apply for a mail-in ballot HERE.
- The voted absentee ballot must be witnessed by 2 people or have the seal of a notary and must be postmarked by the day before the election or hand delivered by 5pm on Election Day for the ballot to count.
If you need an on-campus notary, you may contact:
- Juliette Butler, Office of Student Engagement - jmbutler@una.edu
- Kelly Ford, Student Recreation Center - kmford@una.edu
Students have a choice about where to register to vote. Students attending college may register at their campus address or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address.
You may only be registered and vote in one location. Learn more here.
As a voter with a disability, you have the right to:
- Vote privately and independently
- Have an accessible polling place with voting machines for voters with disabilities
- Wheelchair-accessible voting booths
- Entrances and doorways that are at least 32 inches wide
- Handrails on all stairs
- Voting equipment that is accessible to voters who are blind or who have low vision
- Bring your service animal with you into your polling place
- Seek assistance from workers at the polling place who have been trained to use the accessible voting machine
- Bring someone to help you vote (including a friend, family member, caregiver, assisted living provider, or almost anyone else, but not your employer or union representative).
See HERE for more information about voting with a disability.
- Valid Driver's License (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Driver's License
- Valid Non-driver ID (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Non-driver ID
- Valid Alabama Photo Voter ID
- Valid State Issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
- Valid AL Department of Corrections Release- Temporary ID (Photo Required)
- Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheet from Prison/Jail System (Photo Required)
- Valid Pistol Permit (Photo Required)
- Valid Federal Issued ID
- Valid US Passport
- Valid Employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County Government, Municipality, Board, Authority, or other entity of this state
- Valid student or employee ID from a college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools)
- Valid Military ID
- Valid Tribal ID
If you do not have an approved form of ID, you are eligible for a free Alabama photo voter ID, which you can obtain from various locations including the Secretary of State's Office, local county board of registrars' offices, and a mobile location to determined by the Secretary of State's Office. You must provide the following information (all of which can be contained in one document):
- A photo identification document or a non-photo identification document is acceptable if it contains your full legal name and date of birth
- Documentation showing your date of birth
- Documentation showing that you are an Alabama registered voter (can be electronically verified by the processing office)
- Documentation showing your name and address as reflected in your voter registration record (can be electronically verified by the processing office).
If you go to your polling place without an approved form of ID, you can either vote a provisional ballot or vote a regular ballot if you are identified by two election officials as an eligible voter on the poll list, and both election workers sign a sworn affidavit so stating. If you vote a provisional ballot, you have until 5:00PM on the Friday after the election to bring the required ID.